Air-brake valve mechanism.



Patentail Jan. 7, |9o2.

E. :G. SHDRTT. AI R BRAKE VAL VE MECHANISM.

(@pfilication filed Mar; 11, 1901. 'Benewed Oct. 18, 1901.)

I0 Sheats$heet I.

(No Model.)

w w R zo wom unfidm if :0 (l9 ATTORNEY No. 690,468 Patented Jan. 7,|9o2.- j

v E. asuunrr. Y. AIR BBAKE VALVE MECHANISM.

(Applicatibnfilad' Mar. 11, 1 .901. Renewed Oct. 18, 1901.) (No Model.)In Sheets-Shaet 3.

EMERGENC Y POS/ 770.

m V WITNESSES: iNVENTOR wgw dfw r? r ATTORNEY mgnomzxs Farms co.PHOTO-LI TNOI. wAsmucmN, n. c.

No. 690,468. Patented Jan. 7, I902.

E. a. SHORT'T.

AIR BRAKE VALVE MECHANISM.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1901. Renewed. Oct. 18, 1901. (No Model.) [0Sheets-Sheet 4.

on lo'ne 9 -396.

v m M\\\\\\\\\\\? W 33 29 30 mum INVENTOR ATTORNEY rm: palms PUERS co,wugrmu'ma wasmmrrcu D c No. 690,468. Patented Ian. 7, 1902.

- E. a. SHURTT.

AIR BRAKE VALVE MECHANISM.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1901. Renewed Oct. 18, 1901.

(No Model.) l0 Sheets-Sheet 5.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR TTORNEY m; uonms mans cu. moroun c wunmsmu. n. a

Z 0 m 7 n a l. d e t n e t a P M E N A -E BM E V SL {A G .E EK A B B B 86 0 9 6 m N (Application filed Mar. 11, 1901. Benewed oct. 18, 1901.

I0 Sheets8heet 6.

I (No Model.)

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY No. 690,468. Patented Jan. 7, I902.

' G. SHDBTT..... v

AIRBRAKE VALVE MEG HANISM,

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1901. -Renewad 006,18, 1901.)

(No Model.) l0 Sheets-Sheet 7.

v EMERGENCY 39 34 57w cruupcn WlTNESSES: INVENTOR 25 W- -W JM. WW%JWATTORNEY No. 690,468. Patented Jan. 7, I902.

E. G. SHORT-T.

AIR BRAKE VALVE MECHANISM.

(Application filed. Mar. 11, 1901. Renewed Oct. 18, 1901.) (No Model.)In Shaets$heet 8.

,9 t y elo a;

Q I I I I I WITNESSES: INVENTOR @W\WI ATTORNEY we norms kilns co.PHOTO-U340,- wAsnmarcu. n. c

: Patgnted Ian. 7, I902. E. G. SHORTT. 7

AIR BRAKE VALVE MECHANISM.

' n filed Mar. 11, 1901. Renewed Oct. 18, 1901.,

I0 Sheets-Sheet 9.

(No Model.)

INVI ENTOR v ATTORNEY WITNESSES No. 690,468. Patented Jan. 7, I902.

E. G. SHOBTT. AIR BRAKE VALVE MECHANISM.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1901. Renewed Oct. 18, 190 1..)

10 Sheets-Sheot 10.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD G. SHORTT, OF OARTHAGE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNA- TIONAL AIRBRAKE COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A COR- PORATION OF NEWVJERSEY.

AIR-BRAKE VALVE M ECHAN'ISM.

SPEGZFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,468, dated January7, 1902.

Application filed March 11, 1901. Renewed October 18, 1901. Serial No.79,111. (No model.)

T all 1071,0711 it mcty concern: Be it known that I, EDWARD G. SHORTT, acitizen of the United States of America, and

a resident of Carthage, county of J efferson,

perfect the triple valve in various respects, so

that its operation may be more unfailing and its construction simplerand more economical. Inthe use of this valve a great saving of air iseffected over what is commonly the case in air-brake systems.

One important feature is'the provision of a variable-sized ordifferential auxiliary reservoir the capacity of which varies and is thegreatest when the pressure is high, being made so by the additionthereto of an extra chamher, called the receiver, said receiver notbeing independent of and distinct from the auxiliary reservoir at alltimes, but only at those times when the pressure has fallen from themaximum down to a figure below which the 0 pressure in the auxiliaryreservoir can never drop except in case of emergency, saidpermanently-retained pressure in the reservoir being denominated thereservoir constant, anditbeingunderstood that whenthepressure 5 doesfall to the reservoir constant a subdividing device, consisting of somesuitable valve means, will automatically come into action and cut offthe receiver from the main chamber of the auxiliary reservoir, after 40which while the receiver is so cutoff the latter functions as adepository to receive a large share of the exhaust-pressure from thebrakecylinder at the time of release after emergency action. Thereceiver is charged from the 5 train-pipe, as is also the auxiliaryreservoir,

and in service applications pressure is delivered through the receiverfrom the reservoir to the brakecylinder, while said receiverconstitutesan extension of the reservoir and before the pressure hasfallen to the reservoir constant, and in thus using air from thereceiver and reservoir in service applications the supply in thereceiver is being constantly replenished from thereservoir untilWhatever excess there may have been in the reservoir and receiver overand above the reservoir constant, which excess will ordinarily be tenpounds or so, has been consumed. It will thus be understood that acertain amount of pressure is reserved and retained in the aux- 6oiliary reservoir, amounting, perhaps, to sixty pounds or so, accordinglyas experience may advise, which is never depleted, and is in readinessto be utilized in emergency applications only, while the contents of thereceiver and the reservoir excess are utilized in graduationapplications.

Another important feature is the conjoint utilization in emergencyapplications of the air within the receiver and the permanently- 7oretained store of air in the auxiliary, the delivery of thereceiver-pressure to the brakecylinder taking place in advance of thedelivery of the reservoir-pressure in order that by this process ofinitially transferring a comparatively light degree of pressure againstthe brake-piston and then superadding thereto the full power andstrength of the air-volume in the auxiliary reservoir the most valuableand important results in the way of ef- 8o ficient braking by theemployment of the highest attainable degree of braking power may bereached Another important feature which may be mentioned is the savingof a large amount of the braking fluid at the time of release afteremergency application by returning the same to the receiver to bereused.

In the operation of the valve it must alsobe noted that at emergencysimultaneously 0 with the discharge of the receiver contents to thebrake-cylinder there is a discharge of a portion of the same pressurewhich is within the slide-valve chamber to and againsta piston thatoperatesa valve,known as the train- 5 pipe emergency exhaust-valve, forpermitting a venting of the train-pipe air to the atmosphere.

Numerous otherimportantanddistinguishing features will be patent fromthe ensuing description of the construction and operation of themechanism, and it will be made apparcut that from the improvedconstruction marked and essential advantages are obtained, prominentamong which is the ability of the apparatus to release without an excessof pressure and with a small train-pipe pressure. It may therefore besaid that in addi-. tion to the various prominent points alreadymentioned the invention consists in numerous details and peculiaritiesof the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts,substantially as will be hereinafter described and. claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is acentral vertical section of my present improved air-brake valvemechanism, the operative parts thereof being represented in the positionof full release. Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view showing the parts inthe position that may be termed the graduation position. Fig. 3 is asimilar sectional view showing the cooperatively movable parts occupyingthe position that may be termed the emergency position Fig. 4 is atransverse vertical section on the line a: w of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is atransverse horizontal section on the line y y of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is across-sectional view of the auxiliary reservoir and shows thediaphragm-operated valve device in elevation centrally in saidreservoir. Fig. 7 is a somewhat conventional delineation of theslide-valve and its seat for the purpose of presenting the properrelative arrangement andlocation of the ports ofboth parts at the timeof graduation. Fig. Sisasimilarview showingthe relative position of theports at the time of emergency action. Fig. 0 is a similar view showingthe relative position of these ports at the time of release. Fig. 10 isa longitudinal sectional View of the slide-valve and its seat, the gradnationvalve being shown in side view. Fig. 11 is a central horizontalsection of the conical cap that is attached to the right-hand end of thevalve body, together with the emergencyvalve located in'said cap, andrepresents said emergency-valve in the position off its seat, but withthe projection thereon still cutting 0E communication between thereservoir and the cylinder. Fig. 12 is a similar central horizontalsection of the conical cap and represents the emergency-valve thereinoccupying its normal position closed down upon its seat. Fig. 13 is anelevational view of the right -hand face of the receiver chamber. Fig.14is an opposite face view of the same.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutall the different figures of the drawings.

I will now proceed to describe in detail my improved valve for air-brakemechanism and point out its various novel and valuable features.

It will be observed by looking at Figs. 1, 2,

and 3 that the substantial and physical form of the valve comprises,essentially, the valvebody 4, a cap 9 on the right-hand side of saidbody 4, a drip-cup 10 on the bottom of the body, and a chambered castingconstituting a receiver 11, located'between the body 4 and thecontiguous head of the auxiliary reservoir 2, the whole constructionbeing supported by attachment to the auxiliary reservoir in any desiredmanner. In the particular form of reservoir and brake-cylinder depictedherein a pipe 3 runs from the cylinder through the auxiliary reservoirand connects with the triple valve, or rather with a side chamber in thereceiver-casting, in a manner which I shall presently describe, so thatsaid pipe 3 is to all intents and purposes, so far, at least, asfunction is concerned, a part of the brake-cylinder and is to be treatedas such in the subsequent description herein.

The drip-cup 10 is merely a hollow casting situated below the body 4,and although primarily designed to catch any moisture that may fall fromthe working parts of the valve functions also to providoa train-pipespace 12, into which trainpipe air flows from a train-pipe branch whichis coupled to the threaded projection 8 on cup 10, and, further, thisdrip-cup 10 furnishes a space wherein the train-pipe emergencyexhaust-valve 49 operates, all as will be fully set forth. Within thecup 10, rising from the bottom thereof, is

an integral hollow vertical guide 54, which receives the lower end of arod 52, belonging to the train-pipe emergency exhaust-valve 49, a spring52 being tensioned between the top of guide 54 and the said valve 49,which spring serves to keep the valve 49 normally closed against itsseat. The hollow guide 54 also serves to guide the rod 52 during themovements of the latter and of valve 49. The central passage of theguide 54 communicates with a recess on the bottom of cup 10, whichrecess is filled by a removable screw-plug 55, and anorifice 53 allowsthe drip within cup 10 to pass into the hollow stem 54 and above theplug 55. This plug 55 can be removed whenever desired for the purpose ofgetting rid of the waste accumulations in the dripcup 10.

In a suitable chamber 14 of the valve-body 4 is a main piston,diaphragm, or abutment 15, havinga rod 27. This piston 15 is adapted toslide within the bushing 42, fitted in the pistonchamber 14, there beinga feed-port 43 at the left-hand edge of chamber 14, through which, whenthe periphery of piston 15 is directly opposite to it, so as to leave itopen, as shown in Fig. 1, the air can flow from the right-hand side ofpiston 15- to the other side thereof and then through port 44, groovedin a part of the piston near its stem 27, into the interior of theslide-valve casing or seat 33, whence the pressure flows into thereceiver 11, as I shall presently explain. At a certain point in thewall of the chamber 14-say about half-way of the width of bushing42an0ther port 7 is cut in said bushing, and it has the function of anexhaust-port and serves to afford an exhaust-outlet to the train-pipefrom thereceiver 11 at such time in graduation action as the piston 15has been placed directly opposite said port, so as to leave it open.Piston-chamber 14, or rather that part of the chamber on the right-handside of the piston 15, constitutes a train-pipe space, and trainpipe airis delivered thereinto through the port 13 from the train-pipe space 12.

In the cap 9, which may be made of any convenient conical shape, isahorizontal reservoir-charging port 16, that communicates with andreceives air from the piston-chamber 14. At the center of the cap 9 andnear the apex of its conical form is an inner cavity 20, closed againstthe outer atmosphere by a removable screw-plug 22, a portion or thewhole of said cavity 20, so far as it is serviceable, being furnished bya recess in the inner end of this plug 22, as is clearly shown in Figs.11 and 12, and from the" cavity or chamber 20 a cylindrical passage 61leads through the shank of the plug 22 to a point opposite to theflanged portion thereof. On one side of the cap 9 is acheck-valve-containing recess 17, in which is the check-valve 17, accessto which may be had by removing the screw-plug18. The above-mentionedport 16 runs straight from chamber 14 to the checkvalve 17. A short port24 leads from checkvalve 17 to the inner cap-chamber 20. Thus it will beseen that a check-valve is interposed in the length of thereservoircharging port, which effectually prevents any'back flowofpressure from the reservoir during the operation of the valvemechanism. Within the chamber 20 is a valve 19, which may be correctlystyled a reservoir-delivery emergency-valve. This is closed, except atthe time of emergency action, when it is desired,

to employ reservoir-pressure in braking, said valve 19 being commonlyforced to its seat under the action of the auxiliary-reservoir pressure.By referring to Figs. 11 and 12 it will be seen thata port 25 runs fromthe chamber 20 through cap 9, the ultimate destination of said portbeing the auxiliary reservoir 2, and it will also be seen that a port 26runs from the chamber 20 through the cap 9, its final direction beinginto the'brake-cylinder. In Figs. 4, 5, 13, and 14 these two ports 25and 26 appear and their courses are indicated, and it will be noticedthat they lead along opposite sides of the valve-body 4, pass throughthe side walls of the receiver 11, and reach their final destinations,port 26 connecting with the brake-cylinder and port 25 with theauxiliary reservoir. Obviously a delivery of reservoir-air into port 26from chamber 20 can only be had when the valve 19 is unseated.

77 designates the seat of valve 19. It is securely fastened in a centralpassage of the cap 9 and has itself a central passage containing thestem 23 of said valve 19, and also the seat-piece 77 has a short annularpassage 78, that provides the channel of communication between chamber20 and port 26 when valve 19 is open. (See Fig. 11.) The valve-stem 23is hollow throughout aportion of its length and contains a spiral spring63, tensioned against the inner end of the cavity in the stem and alsoagainst a movable axial block 64, situated at the extremity of thevalve-stem and projecting for a short distance through and beyond theend of said stern, said axial block having therein a slot 67, throughwhich passes a pin 65, which is fixed in the sides of the stem 23. Thespiral spring 63 has the function of normally pushing the block 64outwardly to a point where it projects beyond the end of stem 23 andwhere the pin 65 lies in'one end of slot 67, the length of said slotdetermining the distance that the block 64 may protrude out of the stem23. This axial block 64 serves when in its projected position as agraduation-stop to limit and determine the position of the piston ingraduation action, and the spring 63 is of proper tension and strengthto accommodate this function of the block. At certain times in theoperation of the valve mechanism, when a graduation takes place afterequalization is effected, the movement of the piston will be such as tothrust the block 64 inwardly until its outer edge comes flush with thetip end of the valve-stem 23, at which time the outer end of slot 67will contact with the fixed pin 65, and thus the spring 63 will betemporarily compressed and will remain so until the piston againreleases the axial block 64 and allows it to return to its normalposition, as shown in Figs. 2 and 11. Furthermore,

it is to be noted that the emergency-valve 19 is provided on the sideopposite to the valvestem 23 with a cylindrical projection 62 of properdiameter to enable it to fitloosely into the cylindrical bore of thepassage 61, and. integrally with the cylindrical projection 62 is ashort stud 66 of considerably less size than projection 62, which stud66 serves to receive the end of the spiral spring 21 and enables saidspring to be tensioned at one end against the projection 62, while atthe other end it bears against the opposite end of the passage 61. Thisspring 21 has the duty of normally holding the valve 19 upon its seat77, and consequently over the passage 78, so as to close the latter. Itwill be observed that the reservoir-passage 25 does not enter thechamber 20 directly, but communicates with the passage 61, which, wehave seen, is an extension of the chamber 20. Now when theemergency-valve 19 is unseated the first result of its movement awayfrom its seat will be to cause the cylindrical projection 62 to enterand loosely close the end of the passage 61, a movement which cuts edthe reservoir-port 25 from the chamber 20, and thereby makes itimpossible for reservoir-pressure to be delivered to the brakecylinderso long as the end of the passage IIO 61is shut. I have mentioned thefact that the projection 62 fits loosely into the end of the passage 61,and this is a matter which must not be overlooked, for such loose fit isnecessary in order to allow the passage of a slight amount of air pastthe valve projection 62 at the time of emergency. Therefore although theprimary purpose of unseating the emergency-valve 19 is to allowreservoir-pressure to be delivered to the brake-cylinder, yet the planof operation of my present improvements is not to cause this delivery ofreservoir-pressure to take place instantaneously upon the opening of theemergency-valve, but is to cause the reservoir-pressure to be held incheck for a brief time in the manner that I have explained, the objectof this being to allow receiver-pressure to be first transferred to thebrake-cylinder, whereby a pressure comparatively light is utilizedinadvance of the employment of the stronger reservoirpressure. From mysubsequent description of the operation of certain of the parts, which Ishall give in considerable amplitude of detail, it will be understoodthat immediately after the unseating of the emergency-valve 19 and thecutting elf of the reservoir-port 25 from chamber 20 and during the timethat this reservoir-port is so cut off the receiverpressure will bediverted into the brake-cylinder, and as this latter pressure diminishesin strength the emergency-valve 19 will begin to move back toward itsseat, and when this movement has progressed far enough to withdraw thecylindrical projection 62 from the passage 61 the fullreservoir-pressure fromthe port will work through the chamber 20, pastthe valve 19, and on through the port 26 into the brake-cylinder, thereto be superadded to the previously-introduced receiver-pressure, to theend that the strongest possible braking power may be secured inemergency action. It may be remarked in passing that in emergency actionthe throw of the piston 15 to the right will cause its central knob 28to strike forcibly against the projecting end of the axial block 64,depressing the same, and then against the end of the stem 23, therebythrusting the latter forward and causing an opening of the valve 19 inthe manner which I have previously outlined and which I shall more fullyexplain when I come to a description of the operation of the device,whereas in graduation action the knob28 will halt as soon as it touchesthe axial block 64, although when a graduation action takes place afterequalization has been effected the halting of the piston will not occuruntil after the depression of the axial block and the coming of theprojection 28 to a stop against the end of the valve-stein 23.

The stem 27 of the main piston 15, the slidevalve 29, and thegraduation-valve 30 are arranged within an elongated chamber in thevalve-body 4, which chamber is inclosed by a horizontal bushing orsleeve 33, which is tubular, with the exception of the bottom thereof,wherein is a rectangular groove, (see Fig. 4,) which forms a seat andguide for the movement of this rectangular-shaped slidevalve 29. Aportion of the stem of piston 15 between the shoulders or flanges 79 79on said stem is semicircular in form and lies between two flanges orears 31 31 on the slidevalve 29, the length of the latter being slightlyless than the distance between these shoulders 79, thereby permitting alimited movement of the piston 15 without moving the slide-valve 29. andmoves with the stem 27 of piston 15 and lies within a suitable recess inthe slide-valve 29, opening and closing the ports 36 36 in saidslide-valve, and thus controlling the admission of air from the interiorof the slide-valve chamber into the interior port 37 of the slidevalve,which port 37 opens into the port 38, which is one of the ports on thebottom face of the slide-valve 29 and that one which functionsprincipally as a graduation port. A fiat spring 32 engaging the sideflanges 31 and bearing against the adjacent side of the slide-valvechamber causes. said slide-valve to tightly hug its seat.

The ports on the slide-valve and'the cooperating ones in its seat mustnow be briefly described, and in order to more intelligently presenttheir relation at different times I have placed upon the drawings theconventional representations in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, in which therectangular -or grooved seat 33 is shown and therewith a thin section ofthe slide-valve 29, the said section being so out that the slidevalveports may appear as they actually do upon the bottom or sliding face ofthe valve. On the bottom of the slide-valve there are three ports-thegraduation-port 38, already mentioned, a lateral emergency port 39,which is simply a rectangular or other shaped notch in one edge of thevalve 29 in constant and open communication with the interior of theslide-valve chamber and designed'during emergency act-ion to allow aportion of the pressure in said chamber to pass out of it and into andthrough an emergency-port 41 for the purpose of operating the piston 48,as will be hereinafter more fully explained, and the elongated, bent,and shallow port 40, serving principally as a release-port and designedto connect the ports 34 and 35, leading, respectively, from thebrake-cylinder and to the atmosphere. In the seat 33 are four ports,three of them being among those we have just mentionednamely, port 35,leading to the atmosphere, (see Fig. 4;) port 34, leading to thebrake-cylinder, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 3;) port 41, leading to theemergencypiston 48, and port 6, communicating with the brake-cylinderport 34 and having the function of a discharge-port for the contents ofthe receiving-chamber 11 at the time of emergency, said port6 beinglocated so as to be uncovered by the slide-valve 29 when the Thegraduation-valve 30 is attached to IIC latter makes its maximum throwtoward the right, as it does in emergency action, as shown in Figs. 3and 8.

The receiver 11 is a receptacle of greater or less size for containing aquantity of air supplied thereto from the train-pipe during the chargingup of the apparatus in a mannerto be presently set forth at greaterlength, said receiver being also designed to receive a large quantity ofair from the brake-cylinder at the time of release. This receiver, as Iprefer to term it, is located conveniently between the triple valve andthe auxiliary reservoir, and consists simplyof a hollow casting properlyshaped and formed to enable it to provide a chamber of the requisitesize, as also ports, passages, and recesses to permit the flow of air inthe manner tobe set forth. The interior of receiver 11 communicatesfreely, openly, and constantly with the interior of the slide-valvechamber. A very significant and preeminent characteristic of thisreceiver is that at certain times it is in communication with andsubstantially forms a part of the auxiliary reservoir; but there is avalve means between the auxiliary reservoir and the receiver, so thatthe latter is divided off from the reservoir when the pressure in thereservoir falls to a certain predetermined figure, so that a reservedstore of air in the auxiliary reservoir is kept intact for use at timesof emergency and is never depleted by drawn upon in service action.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, it will be observed that the left-handside of the receiver frame or casting 11 is shaped with a protuberance91, that provides therein a chamber 69, serving as an operating-ehamberfor one valve of a double valve to be presently described, and thisprotuberance 91 projects into and a shoulder thereon fits neatly into anopening 2 in the end of the auxiliary reservoir 2. Into the open face ofthis protuberance 91 screws or otherwise connects a valvechamber casting70. It has a horizontal cylindrical passage 92 therein, in whichreciprocates a disk 87, having a stem 88, which plays through and isguided by a partition 93 between the passage or cavity 92 and theaforesaid valve-chamber 69, there being perforations 90-two or more oraseries of them around the stem 88 to permit a passage of air from thechamber 69 to the cavity 92. Around the disk stem or rod 88, within thecavity 92, is a spiral spring 89, which is tensioned between the disk 87and the opposite end of cavity 92 and which has the function of forcingthe disk 87 normally toward the left-hand end of cavity 92. The saidcavity 92 widens at its left-hand end into a shallow recess 94,

being having a circumference much larger than the cylindrical cavity 92,and it is covered and closed by a flexible metallic diaphragm 83,secured in place by means of screws or other securing devices 82, ofwhich there may be a plurality, arranged in a circle and indicated inFig. 6. At theleft of the diaphragm 83 is a vertical rib 81, secured atits top and bottom ends to the casting 70 at the edge of the diaphragm83, said rib 81 being adapted and arranged to arch over the diaphragm83'centrally and vertically, so that the diaphragm may be so situatedwith relation to the rib 81 as to be capable of a movement toward andaway from it under any agency that may press thereon from the right orfrom the left. Thus it will be seen that although on the right-hand sideof the diaphragm 83 there is a closed chamber 94, yet the other side orleft-hand side of said diaphragm is exposed to the pressure within theauxiliary reservoir. At the center of the diaphragm 83 is carried aconical valve 86, the conical portion thereof being on the left-handside ofthe diaphragm, while on the right-hand side is another portionengaged by the screwthreaded end of a pin which is fixed to or madeintegral with the reciprocatory springactuated disk 87. The conicalvalve 86 controls the mouth 85 of a port 84, which leads from thecenterofthe rib 81 upwardlythrough said rib and then by proper coursesthrough the casting 70 and the protuberance 91 until it reaches andcommunicates with the receiver 11. When the valve 86 uncovers the mouth85, the receiver 11 is placed in communication with the auxiliaryreservoir 2. When the valve 86 covers mouth 85, the communicationbetween the reservoir and receiver is instantly cut off, and it will benoted that the spring 89 by exerting its resilient power against thedisk'87 will close the valve 86 unless there is a pressure on thereservoir side of the diaphragm 83 sufficient to overcome the power ofthe spring. In practice the receiver and the reservoir will be incommunication when the pressure in the two is at a certain figure or inexcess of that, which pressure must at all times be retained in thereservoir, so that even though air is drawn from the receiver in serviceapplications until the reservoir-pressure drops to the reservoirconstant the supply in the receiver will be replenished from thereservoir until the pressure in both falls to the predetermined figurementioned, which of course may be such figure as practice demonstratesto be desirable as, for instance, sixty pounds or any other suitableamount. It will be found essential, therefore, to set the spring 89 sothat it will have a retaining power of sixty pounds, and thereforewhenever the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir falls to sixty poundsthe valve 86 will instantly close, and when the pressure in theauxiliary reservoir is in excess of sixty pounds the valve will be openand there will be connection between the reservoir and the receiver, or,in other words, whenever the pressure in the receiver and the reservoiris above the amount which experience has demonstrated should be retainedin the reservoir for use in emergency and never drawn upon in servicethe receiver will be to all intents and purposes a part of or anextension of the IIO reservoir, and it does not become transformed intoan independent receiver in the form of a chamber separate and distinctfrom the auxiliary reservoir until all the excess in the reservoir overand above said fixed amount has been withdrawn therefrom.

At the center of the receiver 11 its casting or frame is so shaped as toprovide asupporting part 95, in which is a seat-piece 74. The left-handend of this seat-piece has an annular port extending from thegraduationport 34 (which we have already seen runs from the slide-valveseat 33) to the chamber 69. In rectilinear alinement with the slidevalve and the main piston-stem is a valve device which I term asecondary graduation and release valve, for it controls the flow of airfrom the slide-valve to the brake-cylinder in graduation action, as wellas the return flow at the time of release and after emergency, a largeportion of which return flow is conducted by means of this valve deviceinto the receiver, and thereby saved and a great economy in the use ofthe air insured. Said valve device consists of two valves 72 and 73,carried on the opposite ends of a triangular-lyshaped stem 71, whichlies within a tubular central passage of the seat-piece 74, and thisseat is supported, as I have suggested, in the part 95, so that it maybe between the slidevalve chamber and the chamber 69, which latterchamber is, in fact, a casing for the valve 72. The valve 72 is designedto close or open the port 75. The valve 73, belonging to the valvedevice I am now describing, is situated at the left-hand end of theslide-valve chamber. When thevalve 72 is closed, the valve 73 will beunseated, as is the case in emergency action, and when valve 73 isclosed valve 72 will be unseated, as is the case in graduation action,or both valves may be slightly open at the same time, as is the caseafter emergency when the parts occupy the full release positiondelineated in Fig. 1, the reason and cause for which open condition ofboth valves will be set forth at greater length when I come to speak ofthe operation of the mechanism in detail.

In the left-hand side of the receiver-frame 11, adjacent to thebrake-cylinder pipe 3, is a chamber 80, already alluded to as being achamber that is entered by the port 26, through which air is conductedfrom the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder. A port 68 extendsfrom chamber (59 to the chamberSO.

Thus it will be seen that the valve 72 con-.

meets the graduationport 34 and the brakecylinder port 68 at the time ofgraduation, while at the time of release after emergency there is notonly this same connection, although the size of the opening between thevalve and its seat is smaller, but since both valves 72 and 73 are nowunseated, as exhibited in Fig. 1, release-pressure will pass through thepassage containing the triangular valve-stem 71 and be transferred fromthe brake-cylinder to the receiver.

is to be effected.

48 designates the emergency-piston. It is provided with a rod 50, whichcarries the trainpipe emergency exhaust-valve 49, that opens at the timeof emergency for the purpose of allowing the train-pipe air to passthrough the piston-chamber 45 and out to the atmosphere by way of theexhaust-outlet 100. The piston 48 works within the chamber 45, in theupper part of which is a bushing 46, that lines that portion of chamber45 through which the piston 48 plays. Vertically through the piston 48passes a port 47, through which during the pistons descent the impellingair that depresses it at emergency may escape after the piston has beendriven down to its lowest limit. a

I will now describe how my improved airbrake valve mechanism is chargedand how it operates in fulfilling its various functions in service andemergency applications of the brakes, as well as at the time of release.

Suppose now that the apparatus is empty and an initial charging of thesame with air Air from the main reservoir on the engine being dischargedinto the train-pipe by the engineers brake-valve enters the triple valvethrough the nozzle 8 and passes thence into the train-pipe space 12 andthrough port 13 to the piston-chamber 14, compelling the piston 15 tooccupy the position shown in Fig. 1, which is the position it takes Whenthe brakes are fully released, in which position the feed-port 43 isuncovered, so that air is permitted to pass by the piston, thencethrough the port- 44 to the chamber occupied by the slide-valve, fromwhich it flows freely into the receiver 11, charging the latter to thesame pressure as that in the train-pipe. At the same time train-pipepressure will flow through the reservoir-charging port 16, past thecheckvalve 17, into chamber 17, and thence through port 24, chamber 20,and port 25 into the auxiliary reservoir 2. When the pressure within theauxiliary reservoir rises above the valve-closing power of the spring89-that is to say, above sixty pounds or any other predeterminedpressure-the valve 86 will open and communication will be establishedthrough port 84 between auxiliary reservoir 2 and the receiver 11. Port-84 will now have the function for the time being of a reservoir-charging port. The process of charging may now be continued until thetrain-pipe, the auxiliary reservoir, the receiver, and the variousinterior spaces of the triple valve, as specified,will be filled withair at the train-pipe pressure of seventy pounds or such other figure asmay be determined upon, and it will be noted that so long as theair-pressure is above what is to be constantly retained in the auxiliaryreservoir said reservoir and the receiver will be in open communicationwith each other and will constitute in reality a single chamber, thesubdivision between the two not taking place until the degree ofpressure drops to the figure that causes the subdividing-valve to close.At the time of IIO which we are now speaking the valve 73 will be closedupon its seat, as it is shown in Fig. 2, and not open, as indicated inFig. 1,'beca use the pressure within the slide-valve chamber will beagainst it, keeping it seated, while of course at this same time thevalve 72 will be off its seat, although its open condition will not inthe preliminary charging of the system be of any consequence, whereas atrelease, of course, it provides an out-let for the exhaust. Thetrain-pipe emergency exhaust-valve 4-9 is now closed, so that train-pipeair cannot have exit to the atmosphere through the escapeoutlet 100. Thebrake-cylinder emergencyvalve 19 for transferring auxiliary air to thebrake-cylinder is likewise closed. The position of the slide-valve 29relatively to its seat 33 is as shown in Fig. 9, where it will beperceived that the release-port 40 connects the graduation-port 3t andthe exhaust 35, and the position of the graduation-valve 30 is such thatthe lateral ports 36 36 are closed and no air can pass from the slidevalve chamber into the interior of the slidevalve.

Of course the receiver emergency-port 6 is closed, the emergency-port 39is closed, and the graduation-port 38 is also at this time idle.

I will now explain what occurs in going from the release or runningposition delineated in Fig. 1 to the graduation position, where thearrangement of the parts is as represented in Fig. 2, and in so doing itwill be necessary to specify in detail the manner of making a serviceapplication of the brakes. The engineers valve will be manipulated inthe proper way to make the desired reduction in the train-pipe. As therewill likewise be a simultaneous reduction of pressure in the ports andspaces directly in communication with the train-pipe, a reduction ofpressure will take place in the piston-chamber 14 on' the right-handside of the piston 15, and accordingly the air-pressure on the oppositeside of said piston will have an opportunity to expand against thepiston, and such expansion will urge the piston toward the right untilits central knob or the projection 28 contacts with the axial block 64,which projects beyond the end of the valve-stem 23, which block servesnow as a graduation-stop, functioning to accurately define the positionof the main piston 15 upon the occasion of graduation action. (See Fig.2.) The movement of the piston 15 carries with it the slide-valve 29 andthe graduation-valve 30. The graduation-valve being loosely connected,by means of a pin or otherwise, to the rod 27 starts to move before theslide-valve, since the latter does not begin to slide until caughtagainst the terminal shoulder 79, and this prelimi nary impulse of thegraduation-valve is sufficient to uncover the lateral ports 36 36 in theslide-valve and allow the pressure within the slide-valve chamber andalso in the receiver and reservoir to enter into the interior space 37of the slide-valve and to pass thence into the graduation-port 38.Moreover, this movement of the slide-valve 29 has disconnected therelease-port 40 from the seat graduation-port 34 and has brought theslide-valve graduation-port 38 into coincidence with theseatgraduation-port 34:. (See Fig. 7, in which the relative position ofthe ports in the seat and in the slide-valve at the time of graduationis shown.) Hence air will flow through the graduation and slide valvesfrom the auxiliary reservoir and receiver into the port 34, then throughthe valve 72, the brake-cylinder port 68, the brake-cylinder space 80,and on through the pipe 3 into the brake-cylinder. It will be clearlyunderstood that in passing from running position to graduation positionair will be used in the brake-cylinder that is taken from the receiverand the reservoir. So long as the available working pressure in theauxiliary reservoir is above that predetermined amount which is keptconstant in the reservoir at all times the receiver is simply a part ofthe auxiliary reservoir and does not become an independent and separatechamber until the separating-valve operates to cut. it off. Although ingraduation action the air is drawn directly out of the receivenchamber11, yet during the time the receiver-chamber is a part of the auxiliaryreservoir and in communication therewith any depletion of the air inreceiver 11 will be immediately replenished from the reservoir, so thatif the original charging of reservoir and receiver amounted to seventypounds and the predetermined amount to be retained in the auxiliaryreservoir at all times was sixty pounds the withdrawal of pressure fromthe receiver could go on until the pressure in the chambers had beenreduced to the predetermined figure. It will therefore be understoodthat so long as the receiver is open to the reservoir graduation maytake place; but when receiver is cut ofi from the reservoir graduationwill no longer be possible, and while the receiver is so cut off itsprincipal function is that of a receiver to save air from thebrake-cylinder at release after emergency, although during emergencyaction the contents of the receiver are carried into the cylinder. Itwill be noted that during'the time of graduation the pressure will fallfaster in the receiver than in the reservoir, because the port 84 issmall and allows the air to feed with comparative slowness from thereservoir to the receiverthat is, the port Sat is much smaller than port37. I wish also to lay stress upon the fact that the reservoir containsa certain quantity'of air which is kept intact at all times and entirelyuntouched for any other purpose than for use at the time of emergency.Of course it must not escape mention that such air as may have beentransferred to the brake-cylinder during the applications of the brakesand which remains therein and does not flow out to the atmosphere atrelease will exert a back pressure, through the port 68,chamber69,0rifices 90, and cavity 92, against the piston 87 and diaphragmkeeping the diaphragm-valve closed.

83 to assist the tension of the spring 89 in After there have beenseveral successive graduations and the initial pressure in the systemhas been drawn down below the pointwhere the diaphragm-operated valvecloses, and the amount of pressure in the brake-cylinder throughsuccessive increments of increase has risen to a considerable degree,apoint will finally be reached where equalization will take place, afterwhich to graduate further would ordinarily result in a going toemergency. In order to avoid this undesirable result, it is necessary tofurnish a way for the escape of the excess of pressure that will be onthe lefthand side of the piston. This way is provided through the port 7in the side of the chamber 14. When a graduation application of thiskind is made, the result of the contact of the central projection 28with the axial block 64 will be to compress the l atter,so that thecentral projection will strike against the end of the valve-stem 23; butit will not move said stem and dislodge the valve 19 from its seat,because the compression of the block 64 will have permitted to thepiston a movementenough farther than it would make in ordinarygraduation to bring the periphery of piston 15 directly opposite to theport 7,thereby opening the port, and thus permitting the excess ofpressure on the left-hand side of piston 15 to escape into thetrain-pipe and exhaust or blow off through the en giueers valve.

Having thus spoken of the method of primarily charging up the systemwith air and also of the operation of the triple-valve mechanism in theservice applications of the brakes, I will now describe in detail whattakes place in making an emergency reduction. lVhena case arisesdemanding instant remedy,a large and quick reduction of pressure will becaused to take place in the train-pipe by a suitable manipulation of theengineers valve, and the consequences thereof to the piston 15 will bethat it will not stop when its central knob touches the protruding axialblock 64, as it does in ordinary graduation; neither will it stop whenit has compressed said block and touched the end of the stem of theemergencyvalve, as it does in the graduation that may be attempted afterequalization; but the impact of the central projection 28 of piston 15against the emergency-valve 23 will be so hurried and violent as toquickly thrust the same forward, and thereby dislodge theemergency-valve 19 from its seat and cause the brake-cylinder port 26 tobecome connected, through the annular port 78, with the inner chamber20; but, as has heretofore been intimated, the removal of valve 19 fromits seat does not instantaneously establish connection between thereservoir-port and the chamber 20, because the cylindrical projection62, carried by the valve 19, enters the end of thechamber 61 andvirtually closes it, (except the loose fit alluded to,) therebypreventing, while the projection 62 is in this der.

position, the reservoir-port 25 from delivering reservoir-pressure intochamber 20, and simultaneously with the collision of the piston orabutment and the emergency-valve stem, or perhaps slightly before theunseating of said valve, although the difference in time isinappreciable, the piston or abutment by its reciprocation andconsequent movement of the slide-valve 29 brings the ports of saidslide-valve into that relation to the ports in the seat 33 shown in Fig.8. (See Fig. 3 also.) Emergency-port 39 on the side of slide-valve 29 isnow in conjunction with the vertical port 41, that leads directly downfrom the slide-valve chamber to the emergency-piston 48. No other portsin the slide-valve and its seat are in register at this time save onlythese two. Through them a certain amount of pressure from theslide-valve chamber and the receiver passes downward and drives thepiston 48 downward through its chamber 45, while the stem 50 of saidpiston 48, which carries the train-pipe emergency-valve 49,throws saidvalve from its seat, and the escape of train -pipe air past this valveis permitted through chamber 45 out into the atmosphere at outlet-port100. Port 6, which, we have seen, is a large transverse port in theslidevalve seat 33, which port communicates with the brake-cylinder port34, has been uncovered by the sliding away from it of the slidevalvethat has previously covered it, so that through it the contents of thereceiver 11 are discharged into the brake-cylinder. Thus it will beunderstood that the purpose of delaying the discharge ofauxiliary-reservoir air into the brake-cylinder past the valve 19 for ashort time immediately after the unseating of this valve 19 in emergencyaction, as set forth, is to allow time for the preliminary discharge ofthe contents of the receiver into the brake-cylinder through the ports 6and 34, for, as is clearly apparent, when the main piston 15 makes itsemergency movement and unseats the emergency-valve 19 it simultaneouslycauses the slide-valve to open the large receiver discharge-port 6. Inthis way the contents of the receiver flow into the brakecylinder andexert a certain action upon the piston therein prior to the delivery ofthe heavy reservoir-pressure to said brake-cylin- At the same time thatthe receiver contents pass to the brake-cylinder a sufficient amount ofpressure will escape, as has been stated, through the ports 39 and 41 tooperate the train-pipe exhaust-valve. When by reason of the loss ofreceiver-pressure to the brake-cylinder the force exerted against theleft-hand side of piston 15 to impel it toward the right, and therebycontrol the position of the emergency-valve 19, decreases in strength,said piston 15 will begin to gradually move back toward the left end ofits chamber 14. This return movement is brought about by the spring 21acting to return the valve 19 toward its seat. When during this actionthe projection 62 is removed from the ICO , iliary reservoir, but is outoff therefrom when end of the chamber 61 and ceases to longer close saidchamber, the reservoir-pressure will have an opportunityto pass from theport 25 into the chamber20 and past valve 19 (said valve having not yetbecome seated again) into cylinder-port 26 and finallyinto the brakecylinder. The size of port 6 must be varied or adjusted to leave enoughpressure on the piston so that the valve 19 will not close until thereservoir has been discharged into the brake-cylinder. In emergencyaction, therefore, a certain degree of pressure is given to thebrake-cylinder from the receiver and then a final and heavier degree ofpressure from the reservoir, the latter being superadded to the formerin order that the highest and most efficient braking power may beattained. Therefore in emergency action the receivingchamber, which atcertain times in the operation of the system forms a part of the auxthereservoir-pressure drops down to the degree known as the reservoirconstant, is employed to deliver its contents to the brakecylinder inadvance of the delivery thereto of the constantpressure retained intactin the auxiliary reservoir for the sole use of emergency.

I will next describe the action of the parts of the device in releasingafter emergency action. For this purpose pressure will be restored inthe train-pipe in the customary way. This will cause the parts to assumethe position shown in Fig. 1, which is that of full release and issubstantially the same as I have already referred to in discussing theinitial charging of the system. \Vhen the piston 15 returns to itsposition in the left-hand end of chamber 14, its rod 27, or the collaredend thereof, will strike the valve 73 and move it slightly, but notentirely, toward its seat, the movement not being sufficient to closethe valve, although it will be sufficient to slide the connecting-stem71 and open valve 72. Of course the relative sizes of the diflferentparts will be so adjusted that when the piston 15 is in the left-handend of chamber let the proper contact with the double valve will havetaken place, and consequently at this time not only the valve 73, butalso the valve '72, will be open, and hence there will be a passage fromthe brake-cylinder to the receiver, as well as to the atmosphere. Thepassage from the brake-cylinder to the receiverwill be through port68,valve 72, along the sides of the triangular valve rod 71, through valve73 to the nearest end of the slide-valve chamber, then into the receiver11. The passage from the brake-cylinder to the atmosphere will bethrough port 68, valve 72, annular passage 75, port 34, the slidevalverecess 40, and the atmospheric outlet 35. Hence a large quantity of thefluid used in braking will be saved by being transferred back into thereceiver 11, and not lost by efflux to the atmosphere.

Numerous changes in the precise construction, form, size, andcombination of the various parts of my present valve mechanism, theport, and the passages maybe made Without departing from the invention,and I reserve the libertyof so diversifying and varying the constructionand relations of the several constituent mechanical features as may bestsuit and adapt the valve for actual operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a fluid-pressure brake mechanism,the combination with thetrain-pipe, and brake cylinder, of an auxiliary reservoir, and areceiver that forms at one time a part of the reservoir and at anothertime is disconnected therefrom so as to be a separate and independentchamber, said receiver supplying the pressure for service applicationsof the brakes while connected with the reservoir, and receiving a partof the exhaust at release after emergency, and also supplying an in--itial pressure in emergency applications,there being a certain constantpressure retained and reserved in the auxiliary reservoir unused at alltimes except in emergency action.

2. In a fluid-pressure brake mechanism,the combination with thetrain-pipe, brake-cylinder, and auxiliary reservoir, of a receiver thatforms at one timea part of the reservoir and at another time isdisconnected therefrom .so as to be separate and independent,

while connected with the reservoir in effecting service applioations'ofthe brakes, and also in effecting an initial braking power in emergencyapplications.

3. Inafluid-pressure brake mechanism,the combination with thetrain-pipe, brake-cylinder, and auxiliary reservoir, of a receiver thatforms at one time a part of the reservoir and at another time isdisconnected therefrom so as to be separate and independent, saidreceiver being supplied with a part of the exhaust-air at the time of.release after emergency action, and also being supplied by theintermittent feeding from the train-pipe and from the reservoir excess,there being a certain constantly-reserved emergency pressure retained inthe reservoir unused except in emergency action.

4:. Inafluid-pressure brake mechanism,the combination with thetrain-pipe, and brakecylinder, and auxiliary reservoir, of a receiverthat forms at one ti m'e a partof the reservoir and at another time isdisconnected therefrom so as to be separate and independent, saidreceiver being employed while open to the reservoir in serviceapplications of the brakes, and also in eifecting an initial brakingpower in emergency applications, and in venting the train-pipe air tothe atmosphere at the time of emergency.

5. In a fluid-pressure brake mechanism, the combination with thetrain-pipe, brake-cylinder and auxiliary reservoir, of a receiver thatforms at one time a part of the reservoir and at another time isdisconnected therefrom so as to be separate and independent, saidreceiver having its supply afforded by an intermittent feed from thetrain-pipe and also from the reservoir excess, and from thebrake-cylinder during release after emergency action, said receiverwhile .it forms a part of the reservoir being employed in effectingservice applications, and when separated from reservoir in effecting aninitial braking pressure in emergency applications, and in ventingtrain-pipe air to the atmosphere at the time of emergency.

6.' In a fiuid-pressure brake mechanism, the combination with thetrain-pipe, brake-cylinder, and auxiliary reservoir, of a receiver thatforms at one time a part of the reservoir and at another time isdisconnected therefrom, pressure-retaining means for keeping a certainconstant pressure retained and reserved in the auxiliary reservoirunused at all times except in emergency action, which means permitcommunication between the reservoir and receiver when the air-pressuretherein rises above the reservoir constant.

7. In afiuid-pressure brake mechanism, the combination with thetrain-pipe, brake-cylinder, and auxiliary reservoir, of a receiver thatforms at one time a part of the reservoir and at another time isdisconnected therefrom, and a pressure-retaining valve located in apassage-way between the auxiliary and the receiver, said valve havingthe function of keeping a certain constant pressure retained in thereservoir for use in emergency, but being arranged to open under theaction of the excess when the reservoir-pressure rises above theconstant pressure so as to permit said excess to flow to the receiver.

- 8. In a fluid-pressure brake mechanism, the combination with thetrain-pipe, brake-cylinder, and auxiliary reservoir containing aconstantly-reserved volume of air for use onlyin emergency action, of areceiver that forms at one time a part of the reservoir and at anothertime is disconnected therefrom so as to be separate and independent,means for conducting air from the receiver and reservoir to thebrake-cylinder in service applications of the brakes, and means forconducting air from the receiver to the brake-cylinder to afford apreliminary braking power in emergency action.

9. In a fluid-pressure brake mechanism, the combination with thetrainpipe, brake-cylinder, and auxiliary reservoir, of a receiver thatforms at one time a part of the reservoir and at another time isdisconnected therefrom so as to be separate and independent, a valvedevice between the reservoir and receiver that retains a constantpressure in the reservoir and allows the excess to flow into thereceiver, means for conducting air from the receiver and reservoir Whileconnected, to the brake-cylinder in service applications of the brakes,and means for transferring a portion of the braking fluid to thereceiver during release after an emergency application of the brakes.

10. In a fluid-pressure brake mechanism, the combination with thetrain-pipe, brakecylinder, and auxiliary reservoir, ofa receiver thatforms at one time a part of the reservoir and at another time isdisconnected therefrom so as to be separate and independent, a valvedevice between the reservoir and receiver that retains a constantpressure in the reservoir and allows the excess to flow into thereceiver, means for conducting air from the receiver and reservoir whilethe two are conneoted to the brake-cylinder in service applications ofthe brakes, and means for transferring braking fluid to the receiverduring release after emergency, said means consisting of a valve devicethat permits air to flow from the brake-cylinder to the receiver at thesame time that it permits an exhaust to the atmosphere.

11. In a fluid-pressure brake mechanism, the combination with thetrain-pipe, brakecylinder, and auxiliary reservoir, of a receiver thatforms at one time a part of the reservoir and at another time isdisconnected therefrom so as to be separate and independent, avalvedevice between the reservoir and receiver that retains a constantpressure in the reservoir and allows the excess to flowinto thereceiver, means for conducting air from the receiver and reservoir whileconnected to the brake-cylinder in service applications of the brakes,means for conducting air from the receiver to the brake-cylinder toafford a preliminary braking power in the emergency action, and forconducting the constantly-retained reservoir-pressure to thebrake-cylinder in emergency, and means for transfer ring a portion ofthe braking fluid from the brake-cylinder to the receiver during releaseafter emergency action.

12. In a fluid-pressure brake mechanism, the combination with thetrain-pipe, brakecylinder, and auxiliary reservoir, of a receiver thatforms at one time a part of the reservoir and at another time isdisconnected therefrom, means for conducting air from the reservoir andreceiver to the brake-cylinder in service applications means forpreliminarily conducting air from the receiver to the brakecylinder, andsecondarily conducting airfrom the reservoir to the brake-cylinder inemergency action, and means for transferring a portion of the brakingfluid from the brakecylinder to the receiver during release afteremergency.

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